Guidance

Myanmar (Burma): bereavement information

Updated 9 June 2020

1. Introduction

When a relative or friend dies abroad, the different procedures, laws or language can cause additional distress. You may be uncertain about what to do or who to contact.

This country specific information is designed to help you through some of the practical arrangements you may need to make. It supplements the general information on death abroad produced by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, which applies to all countries.

Please note, as each country has its own laws and customs when a death occurs, it may not be possible to make the arrangements that you prefer, or at the time you would like. We have updated general information in line with procedures during this Covid-19 pandemic.

2. Disclaimer

This information is not meant to be definitive, nor is it to be taken as a substitute for independent legal advice. Neither Her Majesty’s Government nor its staff take any responsibility for the accuracy of the information, nor accept liability for any loss, costs, damage or expense that you might suffer as a result of relying on the information. Some of the information may not be relevant to your circumstances. The language used is intended to be general and factual, and is not meant to cause offence.

3. How to contact the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)

There is a lot of information below, but you may have questions. You can speak to someone by phone 24/7, any day of the year, by contacting FCDO in London on 0207 008 1500.

If you are not in the UK, find contact details of the nearest British embassy, high commission or consulate online.

The priority of the FCDO is to provide assistance to British nationals overseas who need the most help. The level and type of assistance they can offer is tailored to the individual circumstances of each case.

4. Next of kin

The next of kin of the person who died will usually need to make decisions and practical arrangements. The next of kin can sometimes appoint another person to act on their behalf.

If you are not the next of kin, they will need to be informed. If required, the FCDO can help you do this.

There is no legal definition of next of kin in the UK. Please note that if there is a disagreement over who is the next of kin, or the person who died did not choose a next of kin, this can cause additional complications.

When a British citizen dies in Myanmar and is travelling alone, the British Embassy in Myanmar is normally notified by the local authorities. The British Embassy through the FCDO in London will do whatever they can to trace the next of kin as soon as possible and would ask the UK police to pass on the sad news. However, you might also be notified about the death directly by someone else, for example a doctor, social worker or a police officer.

4.1 Release of information to next of kin

The FCDO will try to obtain as much information as possible after your relative or friend has died abroad. Some of this may be only available to next of kin. Consular officers may be able to obtain this themselves, or they may put you in touch directly with the authorities overseas. They may be able to provide you with details of others who can advocate on your behalf such as lawyers, charities or other organisations.

Access to information concerning a death, other than post mortem and police reports, can be difficult. The Myanmar authorities will not provide this information directly to the next of kin. Requests for this information should be made through a legal representative. Our consular staff can provide a list of English speaking lawyers in Myanmar or you can see this list on the British Embassy in Myanmar website.

5. Insurance

It is very important to check if the person who died had insurance. If they had insurance, contact the insurance company as soon as possible. They may have a list of approved funeral directors to help you make arrangements, or be able to cover some of the costs. The local funeral directors can also liaise directly with the insurance company if they have next of kin authorisation and all the details.

If the deceased did not have insurance, the next of kin will usually have to appoint a funeral director and will be responsible for ensuring all the costs are met. The FCDO cannot help with these costs.

6. Appointing a funeral director

Under normal circumstances, if you decide to bring the deceased to the UK for a funeral or cremation, you may only need to appoint an international funeral director. The international funeral director will liaise with a local funeral director. The FCDO produces a list of international funeral directors based in the UK.

If you decide to hold a funeral or cremation in Myanmar see the list of funeral directors in Myanmar.

The Embassy cannot recommend a local funeral director, the choice has to be made by the family. The next of kin can contact the local funeral director directly. They speak English and those listed are used by all the Embassies and international organisations and are experienced in working with international Funeral Directors. If you have a UK Funeral Director they may also have a list with whom they work in Myanmar.

The local funeral director will also liaise with the Embassy for essential documents to release the body and for any other documentation required by the local authorities.

7. Registering the death and obtaining a death certificate

You will need to register the death with the local authorities in the country where the person died. In most cases the funeral director will do this for you.

A local death certificate, citing the likely cause of death, will be issued by the Myanmar authorities in the local language, and is usually available within a day or two of death. You should be aware that the cause of death given on the death certificate is often given in basic terms, and often does not reveal any underlying causes.

You do not need to register the death with the UK authorities but may choose to. The local death certificate can usually be used in the UK for most purposes, including probate. If it is not in English, however, you will need to obtain and pay for an official translation. See list of interpreters and translators in Myanmar.

8. Post mortem examinations (autopsies)

A post mortem, which is also known as an autopsy, is required by local law for deaths of all non-Myanmar citizens whether the death is natural or deemed to be suspicious. During an autopsy, samples of organs can be removed for testing, including toxicological studies, at the discretion of the doctor. However, as no foreigners have so far died from Covid-19 there is no decision yet whether a post mortem will be carried out on a Covid-19 related death.

The Embassy has no authority to intervene in this procedure, or to stop it taking place.

It is also common for the police in the area where the death occurred to open a case and liaise with the hospital, Embassy, and anybody else involved. Final closure of any investigation can take many months.

9. Mortuary facilities

There are mortuaries at most private hospitals in Myanmar and at some government hospitals. The standards applied, for example, in relation to storage temperature, vary from hospital to hospital but fall well below those in the UK. Although we will do everything we can to ensure appropriate storage, we cannot guarantee the conditions and viewing their loved ones can be very distressing. Some mortuaries also charge a daily fee for storage of a body. It is therefore recommended that a decision by the next of kin is made about funeral arrangements as soon as possible.

10. Burial, cremation, repatriation

At the time of updating this document, very few Covid-19 related deaths have been recorded in Myanmar, and none involving foreigners. There are therefore currently no changes to the process of local burial or cremation if someone dies from non-Covid-19 related illness, except a restriction on the number of attendees. At the moment, even if the death is deemed not to be Covid-19 related only five people are currently allowed to attend a funeral or cremation (normally family members).

We have been informed if someone dies from Covid-19 to minimise virus spreading to others only cremation is allowed.

While it may be possible for a local burial to take place, permission has to be sought from the local authorities in the area where the burial is to take place. There is no guarantee this will be given.

If the death is deemed to be Covid-19 related, the local authorities will look to minimise the procedure of processing the deceased and request that cremation will be carried out as soon as possible.

There is no additional specific paperwork to be completed as a result of a death due to Covid-19. It will be the same as a natural death.

Please note if a local burial or cremation takes place, then an inquest in the UK will not be possible. For more information on inquests, see the information on UK coroners and inquests.

If the deceased had taken out travel insurance, it is important that the next of kin contact the insurance company without delay. If the insurance company grants cover, you should check with them what funeral arrangements they will cover. If insurance cover is not in place, then the Myanmar authorities will expect that the cost of repatriation or cremation will be met by the family. Neither the FCDO nor the Embassy will be able to meet the costs of cremation, burial or repatriation.

If the deceased was travelling as part of an organised tour, then the tour operator’s local representative should be a valuable source of assistance and advice.

Next of Kin should be aware that all hospital bills may need to be paid before the body can be released. If necessary, Consular staff in London will pass the wishes of the next of kin on to Consular staff at our Embassy in Myanmar, and details of who will be responsible for the costs involved.

10.1 Repatriation

During this Covid-19 period we have been informed that no bodies will be embalmed. Without embalming the body cannot be repatriated. There are very few flights in and out of Myanmar. There are no scheduled flights and it is impossible to know until the last minute when a charter flight might be available. Before a repatriation can be arranged there has to be confirmation of a connecting flight from the second airport. It will be highly unlikely a repatriation will be able to be made. At the moment due to Covid-19 many airlines will refuse to transport human remains in any case.

The Funeral Directors will be able to cremate the remains locally and repatriate the ashes when possible, at a later date. It would be easier for the ashes to be kept in Myanmar and sent back to the UK when the lockdown is over or scatter them locally if the family agrees. It is important to note that storage facilities for the deceased are at best very limited in Myanmar, with the hospitals requesting the deceased is removed within two days. At the moment the country is experiencing power cuts which can affect storage. Until October we are in the monsoon season which makes handling and taking care of the deceased very difficult. Any repatriation, whether of the body or the ashes, has to be conducted through Yangon International Airport even if the death has taken place in another area of Myanmar.

If family members plan to travel to Myanmar they are advised to check with the local funeral director before booking their flights. Please note, however, that at this current time there are limited and unscheduled flights available in and out of Myanmar. We also understand no visas are being issued to visitors to enter Myanmar at this time. Any visitor who is able to enter Myanmar will need to quarantine at a government appointed hotel for 21 days with a further 7 days quarantine at their residence or hotel.

In a normal situation, a local civil registry death certificate, a certificate of embalming, and a certificate permitting transfer of the remains to the UK is required to repatriate the deceased. These would be arranged by the undertaker with the Embassy providing a covering letter for British Customs. Local formalities for repatriation normally take 8 to 10 working days to complete.

If the deceased was covered by travel insurance, the insurance company will normally have a standing agreement with an International Funeral Director in the UK who will liaise with their counterpart in Myanmar. However, if the deceased was not covered by insurance, the next of kin will need to appoint their own International Funeral Director. See list of funeral directors in Myanmar.

We appreciate that the next of kin may not always live in the UK. International Funeral Directors can organise repatriations to most countries in the world.

10.2 Local burial

Local burials can be difficult to organise if the deceased’s next of kin is not in the country. Local burials can be possible but permission must first be sought from the local authorities. Next of kin should seek advice from the undertaker. We advise that if the next of kin wish to have the deceased buried rather than cremated they check with the international funeral director what arrangements can be made with the local funeral director for storage of the body to bring back to the UK when it is possible. Please bear in mind that the Embassy cannot make this decision for you and the family needs to consider the implications for keeping the body in Myanmar until repatriation is possible.

11. Return of personal belongings

Personal effects are normally returned to the next of kin, or their authorised representative, without any formalities. Usually the undertaker will assist with returning belongings. Please note that the British Embassy cannot assist with the cost of returning personal effects to the next of kin, nor can the Embassy store the possessions until they can be either collected by the next of kin or forwarded to the family.

12. Steps to take in the UK

You can find more information on the steps to take in the UK online. This includes information on arranging the funeral, telling the government about the death, UK pensions and benefits, and dealing with the estate of the person who died. There is a step-by-step guide on gov.uk.

13. British passport cancellation

In order to avoid identity fraud, the passport of the deceased should be cancelled with Her Majesty’s Passport Office (HMPO). To do this, you will need to complete a “D1 form”.

See form, and instructions on where to send it.

If you plan to repatriate the deceased to the UK, you may require their passport to do this. In these circumstances, you should cancel the passport after they have been repatriated.

14. Child deaths

Authorities in Myanmar will hold a full investigation in to any death and there are no separate procedures for deaths involving children.

15. Deaths in road traffic accidents

It is compulsory for all casualties of traffic accidents to be taken to the nearest government hospital and not a private hospital, whether they are foreigners with insurance or not. All traffic accidents will be investigated.

16. Deaths investigated as murder or manslaughter

If the local police have confirmed that they are investigating the death as a murder or manslaughter a dedicated team within the FCDO will be available to provide support, including by referring you to a specialised organisations. Find more about what they can do..

You should note that if the deceased is repatriated to parts of the UK a coroner or procurator fiscal may decide to hold an inquest. See the section on UK Coroners and inquests below.

17. UK coroners and inquests

If you repatriate the person who died to England and Wales there may be an inquest. The decision on when to hold an inquest is made by Her Majesty’s Coroner. Please note, an inquest will usually only happens in certain situations, for example, when someone has died in suspicious, unnatural, and violent circumstances or whilst in detention. If the person who died is cremated and only their ashes are brought home, there will not be an inquest.

If you repatriate the person who died to Scotland, the Procurator Fiscal may decide to call for a Fatal Accidents or Injuries Inquiry.

If you repatriate the person who died to Northern Ireland, there will be no coronial inquest or further inquiry.

Please note, Procurators Fiscal and Coroners do not have jurisdiction in another country, nor do they seek to apportion blame to a named individual.

Find more information on Coroners and the Procurator Fiscal in the FCDO guide on Death Abroad

18. Legal aid

Legal Aid is not available in Myanmar. See list of lawyers in Myanmar

19. Compensation

Compensation is not available in Myanmar. Find information on UK compensation for victims of terrorism overseas online.

20. Translation and Interpretation

The official language is Myanmar. Documents are provided in the Myanmar language and not in English. If documents are to be used in the UK they should be officially translated. See list of translators/interpreters.

21. Additional support

21.1 Support organisations in the UK

In the UK, there are many organisations which can help bereaved families. Some of these are listed in the Coping with death abroad guide.